Protect My Heart
by 4MeJasper
Summary: Here it is February. With Valentine's Day approaching, poor Bella doesn't have romance in her life. Nothing but a flu epidemic which is all over the news. The worst since 1918. Protect My Heart. Warning – character death.
1. Chapter 1 - Seeing

Here it is February. With Valentine's Day approaching, poor Bella doesn't have anything like romance in her life. Nothing but a flu epidemic which is all over the news. The worst since 1918.

Warning – character death.

Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like playing with the characters, especially Jasper.

PROTECT MY HEART

Chapter 1 - Seeing

Bella gazed out the window at the drizzly February day. The drone of the substitute teacher was just too much. Her English teacher, Mr. Mason, was out sick with some kind of flu. He'd been out for a few days. Seemed part of the school, heck, most of the town, had joined him. Sophomore and junior English classes had been combined because of teacher absences and the substitute teacher was teaching _Romeo and Juliet._ Probably in honor of Valentine's Day.

"Miss Swan?" Drat. Her name was being called.

"Yes, ma'am?" Bella replied, hoping she would be able to prompt her to repeat the question. What was this woman's name again? She kept wanting to call her Miss Potato. There, the woman had written it on the board: Mrs. Prudhoe. Yikes.

"What do you think is the significance of the line, 'These violent delights have violent ends / and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, / which as they kiss consume,' in _Romeo and Juliet_?"

Thank god for that A.P. class back in Phoenix. "Miss Prudhoe, the friar says that line when Romeo is in his cell. The speech foreshadows the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. But I think the friar contributed by agreeing to marry the couple."

"I agree. The friar and other characters act quite precipitously. The entire play hurtles…" Miss Potato, no Prudhoe, returned to her drone. That voice. She spoke in a slow pace, one that seemed designed to put you right to sleep.

Bella tuned the sub out again. She'd been called on knew the answer. Hopefully she wouldn't have to come up with another one.

Much as she loved the play _Romeo and Juliet_ , it did seem kind of stupid. Who falls in love at first sight? Romeo and Juliet had barely seen one another at the masque ball and were getting married the next day?

Love at first sight. She wondered if this was the original version of it. Probably not. The idea seemed to have been around for a long time.

None of that for her, she was sure. Her life was as drab and flat as the world soaked by the February drizzle outside the classroom window.

The door opened, bringing in fresh air and providing a break from Potato's monotone. The principal, Mr. Greene, stuck his head in the doorway. He motioned to Miss Prudhoe and they had a brief conference at the door. After a moment, he stepped into the classroom.

Someone followed him into the room. And Bella's world came to a halt.

"Class, this is Jasper Hale," Mr. Green said, gesturing to the boy next to him. "He just moved here from Alaska and he'll be joining your class today. I'm sure you'll give him a warm welcome."

The room went silent, everyone staring at Jasper in awe. The guy looked like a Greek god. Or like Romeo. He was tall, with blond hair, and a long, lean physique. He gave the impression of a coiled strength. He looked between the two adults and then out at the classroom, bathing the room in the glow of a smile.

Bella felt at that moment like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Her world had come to a halt and begun spinning again with him at the center.

She snapped to attention as Miss Prudhoe gestured him toward a desk. The only seat available was next to her. She instinctively sat up straighter. Jasper started toward the desk when his eyes fixed on her. For a second he didn't move, unless you counted the flaring of his nostrils. His handsome face, which had a smile on it, transformed into something animalistic.

However, he unfroze and walked closer. Stalked closer, she thought. Finally he sat down in the desk next to her without looking in her direction. He was leaning away and his arm was under the desk, gripping the metal leg. She noticed his forearm muscles were clenched tight. She could see from his profile that he was smiling again, and the students around him started to relax. A low buzz of chatter filled the room. Apparently they didn't see the death grip he had on that desk leg.

This couldn't be about me, Bella thought. She took a sniff at her top. She'd just washed it, and her hair smelled like her regular fruity shampoo. He, however, had brought an amazing scent with him. She wanted to lean closer and bury her nose in his shirt. Something musky, something-she saw him looking at her from the corner of his eye. His eyes, golden to match his hair when he had first entered the room, now were jet black. He turned his head away and she shrank back in her seat, shivering as a fear crept up her spine.

At the front of the classroom, Miss Potato adjusted her collar. It appeared she wasn't immune to his charms. Even slouching in his desk, he was working the whole classroom.

"We're discussing Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_ , Mr. Hale," Miss Potato said. "Are you familiar with the work?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "I played Romeo in a production last year."

Bella thought she could hear the sighs of the other girls.

"I'm sure that was quite a production," Miss What-Was-Her-Name-Again? Right, she had written it on the board. Miss Prudhoe. Jasper's appearance and the contradictory feelings of attraction and fear had turned Bella's brain to mush.

"Yes, ma'am. The young lady who played Juliet was very good," Jasper said.

Lucky girl, Bella thought. But Jasper seemed to talking through gritted teeth.

When the bell rang, Jasper was out of his chair and out the door in seconds. She stood up slowly, not sure what had happened.

Xxxx

New story! Hope you like it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

This one has three parts. I will post the next chapter on Tuesday and the final chapter on Valentine's Day. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2 - Not Seeing

Here it is February. With Valentine's Day approaching, poor Bella doesn't have anything like romance in her life. Nothing but a flu epidemic which is all over the news. The worst since 1918.

Warning – character death.

Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like playing with the characters, especially Jasper.

PROTECT MY HEART

Chapter 2 – Not Seeing

" _Yes, ma'am. The young lady who played Juliet was very good," Jasper said._

 _Lucky girl, Bella thought. But Jasper seemed to be talking through gritted teeth._

 _When the bell rang, Jasper was out of his chair and out the door in seconds. She stood up slowly, not sure what had happened._

After the strange encounter with Jasper in English, Bella made her way to her next class, Trigonometry. This classroom was about half empty. They were being taught by the student teacher as their regular teacher was out sick.

She had half hoped to see Jasper in this class as well, but he wasn't there. The class room was buzzing about the new kids who had arrived at school that morning. It turned out that there were four of them. Lauren was talking about a blonde girl, Rosalie, who had been in her American History class. Bottom line, as deduced by Bella, was that the new girl was prettier than Lauren. Not that she would have come out and said it, but Lauren was too interested in ripping apart the newcomer's hair, clothes, make-up and everything else for Bella to reach a different conclusion.

Lauren actually deigned to speak to Bella to get details on Jasper.

"So, Bella," Lauren purred. "Did you meet any of the new doctor's kids?"

Bella tried to brush her off with a casual answer and a shrug. "Yeah, a blond guy named Jasper was in my English class. He was really good-looking and said he had played Romeo in a production at his last school."

Lauren wanted more but stopped talking when another of the new kids, a girl named Alice, entered the room. After the introductions had been made, the class settled into a normal routine.

Which meant it was never ending. Would the bell ever ring? Bella hated this subject. It didn't help her concentration that Jasper's sister Alice was staring holes into her.

What was her problem?

Bella glanced back at her, using her hair as a shield. It didn't work. The little dark-haired girl wearing $250 jeans was still staring straight at her. Alice gave her a grin showing straight, perfect, and terrifying teeth. Bella put her eyes back on the instructor, trying to watch the progress of the equation he was solving on the board.

"QED," he said. Angela had giggled once as she told Bella the Latin meant, "Quite Easily Done." Which it never was.

Finally, the bell rang. Class was over; if only the day was over. She really wanted to get another glimpse of Jasper in the halls, but overall, it had been too much.

As she got up to leave, Alice caught up with her.

"Hey, I'm Alice," Alice said.

"I'm Bella," she replied.

"We're going to be great friends, I can just tell," Alice said, a little too cheerfully. "Maybe you could help catch me up with the Trig assignment? I was taking it at the other school, but this is slightly different."

"Um, sure," Bella replied. "I mean, it's not exactly my best subject…" Bella never got to finish her sentence.

"Great," Alice replied. "I'll meet you after school in front of the library." Alice then glided out of the room, graceful as a dancer.

Bella's locker was a short distance from her Trig class. She stood at her locker, frustrated and confused about her feelings, pulling out her books for American History. The worst was that she had no one to talk to about Jasper as even Angela was out sick. Mr. Mason, Angela, most of the school. Seemed everyone was sick.

"Bella?" Bella turned to see that Alice was staring at her intently. "This flu is kind of strong. You're taking Vitamin C and all that?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah, every day. And I drink herbal tea." What was this girl's problem?

"You need to take this flu seriously," Alice said.

The girl looked so intense that Bella regretted her sarcasm. "Sorry, thanks for your concern."

Alice left and Bella made her way to American History. She was late, but the teacher didn't care. There were so few students in the class, she wasn't going to dock the ones who showed up.

Finally the day was over. After her last class, Bela was dreading meeting Alice. Still, she was disappointed when she opened her locker and a note fell out. It was written in an elegant hand on a piece of paper ripped out of a notebook.

'Bella, sorry, but something came up with my brother. Catch you later. Don't forget the Vitamin C– A'

She stopped at the store on the way home to pick up something for dinner. She grabbed steak, salad fixings, and an enormous bottle of Vitamin C. Might as well get Charlie to take some as well.

No one was in line ahead of her, which was good because only a few checkout lanes were open.

She drove home, put the steak in to marinate and the potatoes in the oven, setting the timer for Charlie's usual arrival time while she started on her homework.

The timer went off but Charlie didn't show. After thirty minutes, Bella took a break from her homework and turned on the news while she waited for him. The lead story was this new strain of flu, which was resistant to treatment. The serious-faced anchor reported that local hospitals were full, and the Seattle hospitals were so over capacity that they couldn't take any patients from the outlying cities. It was being compared to the epidemic of 1918.

Two hours later she heard Charlie's cruiser pulling up outside. She went to the door to wait for him. As he got out of the car, he appeared draggy and tired. For the first time, she thought he looked old.

"Dad, are you OK?" Bella asked as she ran down the steps.

He shrugged. "I stopped by the hospital and asked for something for this cold. Had to wait a while as the E.R. was busy. Let's go inside and get out of the rain. Don't need you getting sick too."

"My classes were only about half full," Bella told him as they went up the front steps, "and several teachers are out. Seems like everybody's getting this flu."

"The hospital's full of patients," Charlie said. "They had gurneys in the hallways and four people to each room. Saw the new doc, though. That Dr. Cullen." Charlie smiled as he hung up his coat. "He's going to have all the nurses drooling."

"I met two of the Cullen kids today," Bella said.

"How are they?" Charlie asked, pulling a Vitamin R out of the fridge.

"Just adjusting to being new," Bella said. "One girl said she wanted to study with me but something came up with her brother."

"Hope he isn't getting this flu," Charlie said.

"I've got steaks in the fridge," Bella said. "Dinner will be ready in about a half hour. Oh, and I picked up some Vitamin C to go with that Vitamin R."

"Thanks, but I'm really too tired to eat," Charlie said.

That was a first. Charlie was never too tired or sick to eat.

What was this?

Xxxx

New story! Hope you like it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

This one has at three chapters and I will post the final chapter on Valentine's Day. Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3 - Sick

Here it is February. With Valentine's Day approaching, poor Bella doesn't have anything like romance in her life. Nothing but a flu epidemic which is all over the news. The worst since 1918.

Warning – character death.

Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like playing with the characters, especially Jasper.

PROTECT MY HEART

Chapter 3 – Sick

" _Thanks, but I'm really too tired to eat," Charlie said._

 _That was a first. Charlie was never too tired or sick to eat._

 _What was this?_

The next day, the halls at Forks High School were nearly empty.

Bella waited in first period for ten minutes, staring at the other students, wondering where their teacher was when the school secretary, Mrs. Cope, entered the room. "You'll be joining Mr. Berty's class today," she said.

She and the three other students followed Mrs. Cope like little sheep to the other classroom. Mr. Berty was coughing but managed to stand upright, mainly by holding onto the back of a chair while discussing Chaurcer's _Canterbury Tales_.

"You guys were reading T _he Canterbury Tales_?" Bella whispered to Katie Marshall.

"No," Katie whispered back. "He didn't want to cover material the kids who are out sick would have to make up."

"I guess it's a good thing a new doctor came to town during this flu epidemic," Bella said.

"I know," Katie said. "Most of the schools are closed. I can't believe we're still open."

"My dad says the hospital is…" Katie tapped her arm and Bella looked up.

Jasper Hale had just walked in, giving Mr. Berty a note. Mr. Berty nodded. "Take a seat, Mr. Hale. Plenty available."

The room went silent, watching him. Bella could tell by the glazed look in their eyes which girls hadn't seen him before. Jasper selected a desk in the front row near the door, smiling beatifically at the room as he eased himself into the chair. Bella noticed that meant he sat as far from her as possible. He also had that same death grip on the desk arm as he had the day before.

"You might want to consider joining the group," Mr. Berty said. Most of the class was sitting together in a tight group of eight in a room set up for twenty-four.

Jasper gamely got up. "I have a cough, so I didn't want to sit too close," he said.

"We've all been exposed," Mr. Berty said. "If you really think you're sick, you should check in with the nurse."

"I think you're brave to show up," Jessica said, batting her eyelashes at him.

Jasper grinned. Bella nearly gagged. If that's what he was used to and liked, well, good luck to him.

The class passed without incident, except she felt Jasper's eyes on her the whole time. Whenever she looked up, he looked away. There was a funny feeling in the class room. People were much more relaxed than they had been in the other classes.

The day passed without further incident. Bella wonder how much longer the school could stay open, with so many students and teachers out.

As she walked out to her car, she felt eyes on her. She couldn't say why, but then she saw the Cullen kids gathered around their Volvo.

She trudged past them through the sludge to her red beast of a truck, climbed in and inserted the key. It moaned and clanked but never turned over. Drat.

There was a knock on the driver's window. She whirled in her seat to see Alice Cullen standing outside her window.

"Need a lift?" Alice asked. "We can drop you off."

"I can't really leave it here," Bella said

"Not a problem," Alice chirped. "My sister's good with cars. She'll take a look at it for you. She likes a challenge."

"Thanks," Bella said. "Your sister?"

"Rosalie," Alice replied, nodding to her blond sister. "Don't let the French manicure fool you. She knows her way around a car's body."

Not seeing any other options, Bella walked over to the Cullen car. Two of the Cullen kids were already inside. She could see the blond girl, Rosalie, in the front seat. Jasper stood outside, leaning casually against the rear passenger door. He opened it as she got closer. She stooped over to get in, seeing a large guy on the other side.

"I'm Emmett," the giant said. "The handsome one."

She laughed, then looked at the expensive upholstery and carpet and paused to tap the slush off her boots before climbing in. Jasper slid in next to her.

She shivered at his closeness, fumbling with the seatbelt. "You don't have to," she blurted out.

"Don't have to what?" he said.

"Pretend," she mumbled.

She felt something inside, burning and intense. She looked up and his face was almost touching hers. His eyes were black. "Let me help you," he said, leaning over to help her with her seatbelt.

"Pretend?" he asked once they were settled.

Bella was so confused. One day he looked angry, feral and sat as far from her as possible. Now he was fastening her seatbelt, as if he really cared. How to answer him?

Fortunately, they were already at her house.

"To be continued," the big brother, Emmett said from the front seat.

Jasper slid out of the car almost before it was parked in the driveway.

"We'll get your car fixed, don't you worry," Alice chirped as Bella climbed out. Jasper held out his gloved hand to help her out of his car. It was such an old-fashioned, gentlemanly gesture. His hand felt solid, really solid to her. But the weirder thing was that when they touched, she felt a tingle like electricity flow through her.

"Thanks," she said again. Great. All I'm only capable of monosyllables around him. Except for "pretend."

Once inside, she leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath and let her heart go back to a normal rhythm after the closeness with Jasper. When she was recovered, she went upstairs to bury herself in homework, listening to "Love Me Like You Do" on the radio. She felt like she was spinning out of control. Shakespeare's portrayal of Juliet falling so completely in love didn't seem so far-fetched after meeting Jasper Hale.

The next morning, she didn't hear Charlie up. She knocked on his door. No answer, so she opened it. Charlie was lying oddly on the bed, arm over his face, not moving. She touched his shoulder, then shook him.

"Dad," she said.

He just moaned.

"Oh, god," she said. "C'mon, I'm taking you to the hospital." She tried to pull him up but he was so heavy. Where was her cellphone? Right. In her purse, on the dining room table downstairs.

As she raced down the stairs she heard a knock on the door. She ran to it, hoping it would be one of her Dad's deputies, someone who could help her get Charlie to the car.

Alice was standing on the porch. "Rosalie's working on your car today, so we're giving you a lift…What's wrong?"

Bella broke into tears. "It's my dad…"

"Show me," Alice commanded. "We'll take him to the hospital."

"He's so heavy," Bella said.

"Not for my brother. Emmett," Alice called out.

In what seemed like less time than it would take to open the car doors, both Jasper and Emmett were standing on the porch. She motioned them inside as she went to the kitchen to get her phone.

"He's upstairs, but I'll call 9-1-1," Bella called out as she dug in her purse.

"That will take too long," Alice said. "Carlisle, I mean our dad, Dr. Cullen, mentioned the ambulance crew is sick, so the deputies have been picking people up."

Bella put her purse down and led the Cullens upstairs to Charlie's room. Emmett bent over the bed and picked Charlie up as if he were a child.

"Take him downstairs to the car," Alice told her brother.

"We'll take my Dad's car," Bella said. "It's got a siren."

"Cool," Emmett said with a grin. Alice gave him a look and he lost the smile. "I'm calling my dad to tell him we're coming."

Emmett put Charlie in the backseat of the patrol car. Bella climbed in on the other side to hold his head in her lap. Emmet got in the driver's seat, Jasper sat in the front seat, and Alice followed in the Cullen's car.

Dr. Cullen met them at the entrance to the Emergency Room with a wheelchair. The small group waited as he examined her father behind a curtain in his office. Bella listened as he asked Charlie questions and Charlie mumbled his replies.

Finally Carlisle stepped back around the curtain. "I'm admitting him."

"Well, Bella can't go home to an empty house. She's staying with us," Alice declared.

"What? I'm staying at my house," Bella said.

"No, you're staying with us," Alice said.

Bella noticed Jasper watching the exchange she was having with his sister as he leaned gracefully against a filing cabinet. The thought that his long, lean body would look good anywhere doing anything distracted her. Would he want her at their house? Now she was even more confused.

Emmett had enthroned himself in Dr. Cullen's leather chair and was spinning around in it, grinning at some joke only he seemed to know.

Finally Emmett looked up at Bella. "It's easier if you just give in to her," he said, gesturing at Alice.

"You can discuss this while I do my rounds," Dr. Cullen said. "But please, Bella, consider coming to stay with us for a few days."

As he opened the door to his office, a beautiful woman appeared the doorway. Dr. Cullen put his arm around her and turned to Bella.

"This is my Mom," Alice said.

"Hello, I'm Esme Cullen," the woman said extending her hand to Bella. "I'm so pleased to meet you."

"I've told Bella she should stay with us while her Dad's in the hospital," Alice said.

"I'm OK at my house," Bella replied.

"It would be no trouble," Esme said. "My children have talked about you for days. I feel as if I know you."

"Besides, it will probably make your father rest more easily if he knows you're not alone," Dr. Cullen said.

Esme had such a kind smile and Bella was so tired, that she didn't fight it. "OK."

Alice clapped her hands. "We'll go by your house to pick up a few things after school then you can come stay with us."

New story! Hope you like it.

This story has now has four or five chapters, depending on how long the last section runs. If there is a fifth chapter, I will post another chapter on Saturday. I will put the final chapter up on Valentine's Day.

Thanks for reading. Please leave a review if you have a moment. Reviews are like Godiva Truffles.


	4. Chapter 4 - Not at Home

Here it is February. With Valentine's Day approaching, poor Bella doesn't have anything like romance in her life. Nothing but a flu epidemic which is all over the news. The worst since 1918.

Warning – character death.

Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like playing with the characters, especially Jasper.

PROTECT MY HEART

Chapter 4 – Not At Home

 _Alice clapped her hands. "We'll go by your house to pick up a few things after school then you can come stay with us."_

 _Bella was too tired to fight all of that energy. She decided to go along._

That day after school, Bella's first trip was to the hospital. Jasper drove this time, only the two of them in the car. The ride over was quiet but the space felt comfortable.

When she entered the tiny Forks Community Hospital, the hallways were lined with even more gurneys than the day before. Patients were lying under sheets with I.V. drips in their arms, nurses and aides walking between them. Some reached out to Bella as she passed, asking for a doctor.

When she finally found Charlie, he wasn't a private room. There were three other people in a small room that in Bella's experience had been private when she had been a patient.

The beds were so tightly packed that the visitor chairs were set up back to back in between the beds.

When she entered the room, she saw a young nurse bending over Charlie. She didn't recognize this girl, who didn't look much older than she did. Dr. Cullen had mentioned the hospital had recently hired several women just of nursing school. Ordinarily they would have still been in training but the health crisis had meant putting them on the floor.

"There's not much space," said the nurse, straightening up when she saw Bella. "We want to treat everyone we can."

"I understand," said Bella, taking Charlie's hand in hers. "Hi, Dad."

Charlie struggled to focus but smiled as he recognized her. "Hey," he said. That seemed to exhaust him and he lay back on the pillow, closing his eyes.

"It's a good thing that new doctor came when he did," the young nurse commented. "He was able to get us the supplies we needed. We wouldn't have been able to treat as many patients without him."

"He does seem very caring," Bella said. She coughed and quickly covered her mouth, hoping no one had noticed. One of the other visitors had noticed. She offered Bella a face mask, which she accepted. After sitting for a few more minutes, Bella left. She didn't want one of the Cullen kids waiting for her and truth to be told, she was feeling really tired.

Jasper drove her by her house to pack a few things. When they got there, she invited him inside. Though he had been in the day before to help with Charlie, it felt different with just the two of them.

She showed him to the living room. "Um, have a seat," she said, gesturing to Charlie's chair. "I'll just be a few minutes."

He nodded, looking around the room before moving to the overstuffed chair.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked.

"I'm OK," he said softly.

Jasper seemed at ease in the house. It felt surprisingly natural to have him in it.

"Is this your dad's chair?" he asked as he sat down.

"Yeah," she replied. "Reserved seating for the Mariner's game."

He laughed. "My brother Emmett gets into all the sport. Me, I like watching baseball."

"So, do you follow the Mariners?" she asked, trying to remember where he had transferred from. Wasn't it Alaska? Did they play baseball up there?

"I follow Houston sports," he said. "My people came from there."

"Well, here's the news while I pack," she said, flicking on the TV with the remote. "Shouldn't take but a few minutes."

"Take your time," he said softly.

She went upstairs and stuffed a few essentials in a duffle bag, wishing she had real pajamas instead of just her old sweats and t-shirts. She had a feeling Alice would want to visit her bedroom at the Cullens. She just hoped that wouldn't mean doing one another's nails. She had never been good at that.

Once she was packed, Jasper drove them to the Cullen house, the mystery house which had been the source of much speculation at school.

There had been work done on it over the summer and into the fall before the Cullens had moved in. A few of the local guys had been hired to do some of the carpentry work and wiring. They had talked about knocking out both interior and exterior walls on the first floor and installing floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall. They all said the pay had been better than they received for other jobs.

As Jasper drove up to the house, Bella saw the exterior of the farmhouse had been preserved. It was still a three-story house with a wrap-around porch. Once they stepped inside, she saw the impact of the changes. The interior looked very modern, with an open floor plan on the first floor, and windows that covered the entire back wall. Even though it was dreary outside, the first floor was bathed in a soft, natural light.

Esme showed her to a room on the second floor. It looked like it had been a man's bedroom, as the color scheme was a neutral cream that showed off the antique furniture. The heavy, dark-stained wood furniture covered with white linens gave a surprisingly homey feel to the room.

"I hope you'll be comfortable here," Esme said.

"It's great," Bella said, setting her bag down on a marble-topped wash stand.

"I'll leave you to get settled in," Esme said. "Dinner will be at 7:00."

That gave her about a half hour. She washed her face and put her things in the dresser. Then she sat on the bed, not really sure how to pass the time. She had left her backpack with her homework in the car.

Finally she went downstairs to offer to help with dinner.

"There you are," Esme said as Bella entered the kitchen. Esme was handing a serving bowl of pasta to Alice.

"Can I help with anything?" Bella asked.

Esme shook her head. "I'm just putting the food on the table. You can take the garlic bread in, if you would like."

Esme had fixed chicken and pasta for dinner. "I hope you're hungry," she said as they sat down. Bella was seated next to Emmett and across from Jasper and Alice.

Bella helped herself to salad, pasta, and garlic bread, taking a pass on the chicken. It felt like the entire family was watching her eat.

"How is it, Bella Bee?" Emmett asked.

She felt relaxed around Emmet. She wished she could say the same for Alice and Jasper.

"Are they together?" she whispered to him, motioning to Jasper and Alice whose heads were close together. They seemed to be sharing a quiet moment. 

Emmett laughed. "No. They've been friends forever. She's with my brother Edward, who's been helping my Dad at the hospital."

Jasper looked up from where he was slicing his chicken breast. Eating chicken with a knife and fork. Bella was glad she was vegetarian now and was just eating the salad and pasta. She remembered picking up her pieces of chicken and not using silverware when she ate it in the past. She'd have probably committed a major faux pas eating chicken in front of the Cullens.

After dinner, the family went to the living room and sat by the fireplace. When Jasper excused himself to upstairs to get a book, Bella edged closer to Emmett.

"He's just shy, that's all," Emmett assured her.

"I'm sure all the girls get told that," she said. "Am I that obvious?"

"Seriously, there are no girls," Emmett replied. "He looks and acts like a player, but he's not. And the way you two try not to look at each other is, well, amazing."

"He's Romeo," Bella said, immediately regretting it.

"He hopes not," Emmett said. "Be easy on him. He has his secrets. As do we all."

"Yeah, that's for sure," Bella said.

Jasper came back downstairs carrying an album.

"Can I bore you with some research I've been doing on my family during the Civil War?" he asked.

Not possible for you to bore me, Bella thought. "Sure," she said aloud.

He settled in and put the album in front of them. "It's about a man who disappeared near Galveston in 1863. He would have been my great uncle, many times removed."

xxxxxx

New story!

Hope you're enjoying both this story and your February. I'll post final chapter on Valentine's Day. Thanks for reading. Please leave a review. Reviews are like those sayings inside of Dove chocolate wrappers.


	5. Chapter 5 - Sick Too

Here it is February. With Valentine's Day approaching, poor Bella doesn't have anything like romance in her life. Nothing but a flu epidemic which is all over the news. The worst since 1918.

With a nod to Sylvia Plath for these greedy roses.

Warning – character death.

Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like playing with the characters, especially Jasper.

PROTECT MY HEART

Chapter 5 – Sick Too

" _Can I bore you with some research I've been doing on my family during the Civil War?" Jasper asked._

 _Not possible for you to bore me, Bella thought. "Sure," she said aloud._

 _He settled in and put the album in front of them._ " _It's about a man who disappeared near Galveston in 1863. He would have been my great uncle, many times removed."_

Bella listened transfixed to Jasper's story about pre-Civil War Houston. He had obviously done a lot of research and had archive photos of the area. But it was when he started talking about the young man who became the youngest Major in the Confederate Army that Jasper seemed transformed. Sometimes glowing, sometimes angry, but always absorbed.

"Did they ever find out what happened to him?" Bella asked.

"No," he said. "A lot of bodies went missing at that time."

Several of the Cullen kids had slipped off while Jasper was talking but their father, Dr. Cullen, had come in quietly. Bella was surprised to look up and see him sitting across from her.

Dr. Cullen smiled at her. "How is my dad?" she asked. "Any change?"

"I'm trying a different medication," he replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Just a cold," she said. "And tired, worried about my dad."

Dr. Cullen nodded, but she saw him exchange a glance with Jasper. "Really, it's just a cold," she said angrily. "I've been around lots of sick people but I'm still OK."

Jasper's hand was clenching the sofa as tightly as he had gripped the desk in school.

The next morning was Saturday, and Jasper drove Bella to the hospital to see her father. They went to Dr. Cullen's office before looking for Charlie, but he was out on rounds. This time Jasper didn't wait in his father's office while Bella visited Charlie. He walked with her down the halls.

It took a while to find Charlie's room as he had been moved. When they finally found his room, Bella couldn't see him as curtains were pulled around his bed.

"Let's wait for my father before going in, OK?" Jasper said. "I'll find him."

The curtains around Charlie's bed moved and a nurse wearing a face mask came out from behind them. Bella recognized her as one of the E.R. nurses, Pam. She looked exhausted but recognized Bella.

"Your father's in an oxygen tent," Pam told Bella. "Dr. Cullen asked to be paged and for you to wait for him to arrive before you see him, dear."

So Bella sat in a chair next to the curtains for a few minutes then decided to pull them back. He was her father, right? Why should she wait?

What she saw shocked her. Charlie wasn't conscious. He had tubes and wires everywhere. Tubes were coming out of his mouth, and wires attached to his arms led to multiple monitors beside his bed. His hair lay flat against his head, stained with sweat. He was pale, his eyes closed, barely breathing.

Bella turned as Dr. Cullen came in behind her. "What's wrong? He got this bad overnight?" she asked.

"We put him into a coma," Dr. Cullen said. "His lungs are full of fluid from the flu. It's become the best option when the flu reaches this level."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she wiped them away with her sleeve.

Dr. Cullen touched her shoulder gently. "I'm sorry you came in unprepared. I had given orders that someone was to accompany you so his treatment could be explained."

"He's going to be OK though, right?" Bella asked. "I mean, it's just the flu."

Jasper appeared in the doorway and came to stand next to Bella, putting his arm around her waist. "Sorry I wasn't here. I was looking for my father."

"We're doing everything we can," Dr. Cullen said. He made a few notes on the chart and left.

Pam, the nurse, returned, slipping on a face mask just as Bella coughed.

Pam looked at her. "Are you sure you're OK, dear?" She put her hand on Bella's forehead. Her hand felt cool. "You know, I think you have a fever. It might be best if you went home and got some rest."

Bella got the hint and let Jasper lead her from the room after kissing her father on the cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow," she whispered.

The rest of the day dragged. Bella tried to do some homework, but couldn't focus. She called Renee and gave her the update on Charlie. Phil was sick and Renee couldn't leave Jacksonville. They chatted for a few minutes then Renee said she had a call coming in from the hospital and she had to go.

In the late afternoon, Bella lay down for a nap. Her cough was getting worse. Dr. Cullen had prescribed an antiviral drug to for her to take, as well as cough syrup for her cough and sore throat.

Bella woke up coughing during the night. She wasn't surprised when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Bella, you OK?" Alice asked.

"Just achy, that's all," Bella said. But it was more than that. She was miserable, aching all over. But she had to stay strong for Charlie.

The next morning she couldn't deny being sick. She hurt all over, her throat felt on fire, and there was some kind of pressure on her chest.

Once she sat up, Alice and Esme were at her door. They had a new Cullen this time. A tall red-head.

"This is my brother Edward," Alice said, glancing at Edward. "He's pre-med so he's been shadowing my Dad at the hospital."

Bella could tell by the smiles the two exchanged that they had deep feelings for one another.

"How are you feeling, Miss Swan?" Edward asked.

"Bella," she said. "Not so good, but not so terrible. Once I've had a shower I'll be ready to go to school."

She saw Jasper standing in the doorway, watching her.

"I'm not so sure about that," Edward said. "Let's just get your temperature, OK?"

"No, really, I'm OK," Bella said.

"Well, for one things, it's Sunday, so there isn't school," Edward stated as he put a thermometer in her mouth and took her pulse.

After a minute, the thermometer beeped and he pulled it out. "103," he said.

Bella saw Jasper wince.

"I don't feel that sick," Bella replied.

"Liar," Alice said softly.

"The hospitals' over capacity so we'll take care of you here," Edward said. "Unless you want to be on a gurney in the hall."

"I'm sick of being in bed," she said. "Can I go downstairs and sit on a sofa? Watch some TV maybe?" Alice and Edward exchanged a look and Edward nodded.

"Of course," Edward said.

"Allow me," Jasper said coming to the side of the bed. When she sat up, she felt dizzy and short of breath. She paused for a moment to catch her breath and realized that she would need his support to stand up. Bella also noticed she was still in her clothes from the day before. She was sure she stank.

They made it down the stairs, where a worried Esme waited at the bottom of the staircase.

"It's good to see you up and about, Bella, but are you sure you should be?" Esme asked.

"I'm sick of being in bed," Bella said, coughing.

Once on the couch, Esme brought more of the medication Dr. Cullen had left for her. Jasper covered her with a throw then sat next to her.

"Are you sure you want to be this close?" she asked him. "You don't want this cold."

"I'm pretty resistant to colds, you'll find," Jasper said. "Plus my dad insisted I get the flu shot."

Bella settled in. She was too weak to get up. "What's on the news?"

"Same old, same old," Emmett said, handing her the remote. "Flu everywhere. Even the baseball games have been canceled. None of the teams have enough players to field a game."

Bella coughed and Alice handed her a container of juice. She winced as she drank it, her throat was so sore. "How's my Dad?" she asked.

The Cullens exchanged looks. "He's still in the coma. Carlisle, I mean Dad, says it's the best treatment," Alice said.

After an hour of watching TV and dozing she decided she would feel better if she took a shower.

Alice helped her back upstairs and into the bathroom while Esme put a plastic stool to sit on in the shower. Bella thought it was too much but when she tried to take a shower she quickly realized that she needed it. In the end, Esme and Alice had to help her back into the bedroom, where she crawled back into bed and slept.

The next time Bella opened her eyes, she saw a vase of bright red roses. They had so much energy in the white and black room that they seemed to be sucking all of the air toward them, leaving nothing for her.

"Are those for me?" Her voice sounded slurred, and everyone seemed so far away.

"Yes." A worried looking Jasper swam into view. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"How's my Dad?"

"The same." Alice's face swam into view.

Bella noticed she had an I.V. in her arm.

"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" Jasper asked.

He seemed close. Where was he sitting? "No, of course not, Romeo," Bella said. "I mean Jasper."

She heard voices from somewhere out of her view. "We have to tell her."

"Tell me what?" she asked, coughing.

Silence and then Dr. Cullen's voice swam into view.

He took her hand in one of his gloved hands and held her gaze. "Your father passed earlier today," he said. "I'm sorry."

Bella collapsed back into the pillows, closing her eyes. She felt someone else taking her hand. The hand felt hard and cold.

More swimmy time passed.

She opened her eyes to see the red-headed brother leaning over her. "Are you going to put me in a coma?" she asked.

"We've found it isn't really helping anyone," Edward said. "Not with this flu."

"People aren't waking up from them." She heard Jasper's voice. "They just linger indefinitely. There's only one cure, and that's very serious."

"Not sure I want to be in a coma," Bella said. "I have to take care of Charlie's funeral. So don't put me in a coma without asking me first."

"Renee's making the arrangements over the phone with Reverend Weber, Angela's father," Esme said. "You shouldn't worry yourself about this. We've sent flowers for you."

"Won't they expect me there?" Bella asked.

"We've been in touch with your mother and told her you're staying with us as the hospital is full," Alice said.

Jasper leaned over her. There was a sweet smell.

"We have a cure, but it's not for the flu," he told her. "There is no cure for this flu. The mortality rate is very high as it is drug resistant. People are drowning in the fluids in their lungs."

"What's the good news?" Bella asked.

"The cure would be for your mortality," Jasper said.

Bella coughed, trying to clear her head. None of this was making any sense. And it was so much trouble to keep her eyes open and stay focused. "What's that mean?"

"It means you would be like me," Jasper said.

"Not possible," Bella replied.

He took her hand and put it on his face. She stroked it. It was hard and cool. He brushed his lips to her fingers. They felt cold and hard, like a marble statue's. "We're different," he said.

Bella struggled to understand. What was he saying to her? Was he finally opening up? She felt so sick and weak. She didn't understand anything and it was such a struggle to stay awake.

"I had to keep my distance as I didn't want you to find out how different I am," Jasper said. "And I didn't want this for you."

"What are you saying?" Bella asked. 

"I'm the relation from Texas I told you about last night. If I was able to make the story sound so vivid, it's because it was my life I was describing."

Bella lay back on her pillow. "I'm delirious."

Jasper took her hand again. "No, you're not. I need to know you understand what I'm asking. I can't lose you."

Bella wanted to cry but couldn't. Charlie was gone, and she was choking on the fluid in her lungs. What about Renee? Was she really OK?

She looked at the wavering faces of the Cullens in the room. It was hard to concentrate, but from the looks on their faces, she knew she was dying.

"So what's this cure?" she asked.

Edward swam into view. "It's how I survived the flu. The Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Dr. Cullen cured me at my mother's dying request."

"1918?" she said.

"None of us are human, Bella," Dr. Cullen's face came into view. "Our bodies died but we survived because we were bitten by an immortal. Jasper would bite you to change you to be like us."

"You would do that?" Bella croaked, her strength and voice fading.

"I didn't want to, but I can't live without you," Jasper said. She could feel that he still held her hand.

"Well, it appears I'm not going to live one way or the other. I would rather…" she ran out of strength, her cough taking over.

Dr. Cullen put an oxygen mask over her face. She took a few gasps of air from it, but it wasn't enough. She was choking.

"Squeeze my hand if you want me to bring you to my side," Jasper said, leaning over her.

She squeezed, as hard as she could, gasping, tears finally rolling down her cheeks. His face disappeared from view. Come back, she thought.

She felt a cool hand pushing her hair from her neck, then a sharp nip at her throat, followed by stings at both wrists and ankles. For a few seconds those places felt warm, then they began to burn.

THE END

xxx

Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoyed this story and you enjoy Valentine's Day.

By the way, TwiFicMeetUp will be in San Diego this year, September 29-October 2.

Please leave a review. Reviews are like finding the soft center of a Tootsie pop.


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